Mission Operations Engineer

At Stoke, we believe that a thriving space economy leads to a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we are building our fully and rapidly reusable vehicle, Nova. It is designed to fly daily and solve the core challenges of space transportation – it reduces cost, increases availability, and enhances reliability. By radically lowering the cost and increasing the cadence of launch, we’re able to create a truly scalable space industry.

Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered with ownership of their work. If you want to work with some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, come join us.

Location: Stoke Space HQ – Kent OR Cape Canaveral

• Develop, implement, and refine automation systems to support real-time mission operations and streamline launch day processes.
• Own the Nova Vehicle CONOPS from launch pad evacuation through lift off.
• Build systems for and, on launch day, to monitor telemetry from the Nova launch vehicle and assess real-time launch commit criteria.
• Own the implementation of mission-specific challenges like downrange vehicle telemetry, hardware change implementation and operations improvements.
• Work with Kent and Moses Lake teams to streamline integrated vehicle testing as a continuation into Launch Site processing and Launch Operations.
• Aggregate and synthesize engineering inputs from subject matter experts to enable and inform critical decision-making.
• Collaborate closely with the Vehicle Controller, advising on launch sequence adjustments and anomaly resolution when needed.
• Lead the monitoring of vehicle stages through the flight phase, coordinating smooth handoff to orbital operations or recovery teams.
• Drive the continuous improvement of launch day CONOPS to increase operational efficiency and mission success.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in mission operations, launch systems, or a related aerospace field.
• Proven experience in vehicle automation, telemetry analysis, and operational command and control.
• Strong problem-solving skills, especially in high-stakes, real-time environments.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively interact with multidisciplinary teams and provide guidance under pressure.

• Expertise in reusable launch systems.
• Familiarity with mission control software and systems integration.
• Experience in developing launch commit criteria and real-time response protocols.

• Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off
• Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure)
• Paid Family/Parental Leave
• On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location)
• Dog friendly offices!

• Level 3 Range: $129,150 - $193,620
• Level 4 Range: $151,305 - $252,105
• Level 5 Range: $176,505 - $327,810

Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race,…